Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality

BHC School of Design is proud to be at the forefront of design education, and Virtual Reality has the power to change the way creatives design and communicate. It is one thing to model a building in a 3D CAD system, but using VR to experience how it will feel and function can take design to a whole new level. Architects and Designers can exist inside their projects, encouraging bold new ideas and refining the design process.

“VR head-mounted displays (HMDs) have the power to change the way architects design and communicate buildings before they are built. The wearer is instantly immersed in a true three dimensional environment that gives an incredible sense of scale, depth and spatial awareness that simply cannot be matched by traditional renders, animations or physical-scale models.”

BHC uses a combination of HTC Vive’s, High-end computer hardware and the all-important Enscape software to integrate both Sketch up and Revit Models into VR. Through this process students are immersed into their 3D models, at all stages of the design-to-construction process, from evaluating design options and showcasing proposals, to designing out errors and ironing out construction and serviceability issues. The Chaperone guidance system of the HTC Vive keeps the user within the bounds of the studio space, while the Wireless controllers combine with precise SteamVR Tracking to freely explore and interact with virtual objects, characters and environments.

If an architect is pitching for work, and it’s their turn to present to a prospective client, which of these do you think will win the day? A computer-built 3D rendering? Or a fully immersive virtual reality experience?

Staying ahead of the technological curve and becoming an industry leader is crucially important for architects and Designers when it comes to securing more lucrative business. Zaha Hadid Architects already has its own in-house virtual reality team, ZH VR Group. Michaelis Boyd Architects was recently tasked by the Wall Street Journal’s Innovation Hub to design a virtual reality room where readers can see news, market reports and videos through Google’s Daydream platform. South African Companies like SAOTA and ARRC are leading the way locally with their own in-house virtual reality teams, and plan to rollout Virtual reality on all there projects in the near future.

BHC school of Design continues to remain current within the design industry and is continuously looking for creative opportunities to elevate our graduates and Virtual Reality is the next step in this evolution.